1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pressure cooking medium systems (e.g., pressure fryers) that use cooking media to cook product under pressure. Specifically, the present invention relates to a seal for sealing a lid to the cooking chamber to facilitate pressurized cooking.
2. Description of Related Art
Known cooking apparatus, such as pressure fryers, are used to cook various food products, e.g., poultry, fish, potato products, and the like. Such cooking apparatus may include one or more cooking chambers, e.g., fryer pots, which may be filled with a cooking medium, e.g., an oil, a liquid shortening, or a meltable-solid shortening. Such cooking apparatus also may include a heating element, e.g., an electrical heating element, such as a heating oil medium, or a gas heating element, such as a gas burner and gas conveying tubes, which heat the cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The amount of time sufficient to cook or to complete the cooking of the food product at a given cooking temperature depends on the type of food product that is cooked, In a pressure fryer, when the food product is submerged in the oil, the food product cooks, releasing heat and steam, which pressurizes the cooking chamber. The increased pressure in the cooking chamber allows for thorough cooking in reduced time, and assists in preventing drying out of the food product.
Known pressure fryer apparatus may include a lid to seal the cooking chamber once the food product has been placed inside the cooking chamber. The lid may create a seal with the chamber body that is sufficient to withstand the pressure from the cooking operation. In known cooking apparatuses, the lid may be very heavy and a locking mechanism may be employed to prevent the lid from opening while the cooking chamber is under pressure. Nevertheless, known locking mechanisms may be limited by certain operational characteristics.